https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-...Q0VjsnZVjw

The Texas Rangers are building a new baseball stadium across the street from their current one, slightly closer to the Cowboys stadium, it is planned to be ready for the 2020 baseball season.

In the above article, it's been announced their current stadium will be used by the new XFL Dallas franchise, when their league starts in 2020. Also mentions they'd like to host more than just the 5 home games from the XFL, and that UT-Arlington is a possibility.

Of course UTA has not announced they are starting football, but there have been ongoing discussions and it seems at least somewhat possible, if not likely to happen now. UTA currently has Maverick Stadium on campus, but that is used by local high school teams, and is not FBS level.

Coupke things from the article, first, they are going to put mega bucks into refurbing an old stadium to play football for a league that barely survived its first try nearly 20 years ago. That doesn’t seem like a smart investment of your money unless they know something else. Stadiums are not cheap to maintain, so I would imagine something else is working underneath that we don’t know yet.

Second, the XFL is going into NFL cities, except St Louis, and are going to try and garner fans there....I don’t know who well that will work.

I would imagine they will use a lot of the current NFL stadiums, surprised the NFL doesn’t have a noncompete clause with those building preventing any other pro football from being played in them.

Did a little research on the stadiums for the XFL,

St Louis will play in the dome
New York will play at MetLife.
D-FW will play at the Ballpark in Arlington
Houston will play on campus at the University of Houston
LA will play at StubHub, current home to MLS and the Chargers
Seattle will play at CenturyLink
Washington will play at Audi Field, MLS
Tampa will play at Raymond James

So in recap, that’s 2 MLS stadiums, 3 NFL stadium, a college field, an abounded dome and an old baseball stadium.

I am surprised they are going to such NFL strongholds

Lord, please tell me history is not about to repeat itself. There were many reasons for the decline of the UTA football program, which went from a DII powerhouse to DI laughing stock. One major reason, the move off campus to the Rangers Stadium, that wasn’t built for football.

(12-05-2018 03:18 PM)slycat Wrote:  I am surprised they are going to such NFL strongholds

They are following the CUSA Marketz™ plan.

My understanding is that they want to be a 10 week spring league that starts right after the Superbowl.

NFL is done, they can focus on major markets without being a threat to the existing teams.

Weird observation: Everyone seems confident that UTA will / should have football.. except for UTA people.

Nope. I’ve been privy to some insider things. I’ve posted nuggets here and there. The issue is facilities. The decision makers are certain that The Mav is never going to work. Some others of us believe that it can be renovated in a manner similar to Bobcat Stadium. Maverick Stadium was better prior to the renovations and I don’t think some of the options on the table are better.

(12-05-2018 05:17 PM)CW Fishman Wrote:  Weird observation: Everyone seems confident that UTA will / should have football.. except for UTA people.

I remember when they had it before. I have very little confidence they will start football and if they do no one will be there to watch it.

(12-05-2018 05:47 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  [quote='CW Fishman' pid='15738412' dateline='1544048249']
Weird observation: Everyone seems confident that UTA will / should have football.. except for UTA people.

The contrarians do seem to make themselves seen/heard, but I would heavily discount negative opinions based on ancient history. The XFL guy accurately observed, the DFW area is very interested in football, and he is confident that this Rangers Stadium reboot will be a successful home venue for his league.

I, like FoUTASportscaster, am very leery of any move to take UT Arlington football home games off the campus. Our current on-campus stadium seats 12-15,000 and once hosted 18,000 for a game against North Texas by adding temporary seating. Since we are looking at a transition period of three or more seasons, there will be plenty of time to add seating and other upgrades.

We're looking forward to renewing old rivalries with great anticipation.

You guys could have a GaSt/USA kind of start. Play first few seasons while your stadium is being refurbed, then move on campus in a “new” on campus stadium.

Although, you could play first couple transition seasons on campus before getting to FBS.

I live in the DFW area, and I have more faith that UTA football would work than I do that XFL will be a success. I hope they are not hanging their hopes on XFL being the saving grace for Globe Life Park. It is still a nice stadium but I fear it will become just another underutilized and under maintained eyesore.

Still surprised that they picked a baseball park that is literally in the parking lot of AT&T.

Why not the XFL play at the Cotton Bowl??? At least moves profootball into another part of town.

(12-05-2018 08:41 PM)Usajags Wrote:  Still surprised that they picked a baseball park that is literally in the parking lot of AT&T.

Why not the XFL play at the Cotton Bowl??? At least moves profootball into another part of town.

It's a different town (Dallas) and not the best side of that town. But like others, I'm not sure how big a draw XFL can be. At least initially, it seemed to be more a response to the perceived Anti-American Kaepernick business than anything else. Lots of people swore off the NFL over that, but I suspect they won't be able to stay away from the NFL if the Cowboys continue to win.

But back to the subject. The Rangers stadium is not very old and is in great shape. It just wasn't feasible to put a dome on it, and just like the Astrodome in Houston, it is also not economically feasible to tear it down. So if they can get some use out of it by calling it a football stadium, that's great. I just don't want to see it become the home of the Mavericks.

(12-05-2018 06:14 PM)wewererebels Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 05:47 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  [quote='CW Fishman' pid='15738412' dateline='1544048249']
Weird observation: Everyone seems confident that UTA will / should have football.. except for UTA people.

The contrarians do seem to make themselves seen/heard, but I would heavily discount negative opinions based on ancient history. The XFL guy accurately observed, the DFW area is very interested in football, and he is confident that this Rangers Stadium reboot will be a successful home venue for his league.

I, like FoUTASportscaster, am very leery of any move to take UT Arlington football home games off the campus. Our current on-campus stadium seats 12-15,000 and once hosted 18,000 for a game against North Texas by adding temporary seating. Since we are looking at a transition period of three or more seasons, there will be plenty of time to add seating and other upgrades.

We're looking forward to renewing old rivalries with great anticipation.

the off campus stadium thing was a terrible experience and one I hope they dont try again. those games were also played at a repurposed baseball stadium. even with the seats along the third base capable of swinging around parallel to the field, it sucked for a venue. It might be a good option for scheduling a "name" school to come in for a game or two each season. also not a good idea to plan anything around XFL football as they have a history of only lasting a cpl. years and then folding.

Nah, the Cotton Bowl would be a good venue, save the size.

I’ve said many times football will return at some point. It’s just a matter of how. My preference is a slow, deliberate pace. Now that journalist are finally getting wind of it, I can tell you the U has been working at it for over a decade now, in some capacity or another.

And as for OsageJ’s concern about our attendance, our basketball team is averaging triple compared to the SLC days we shared. Our baseball team is between 4-5 times higher. Volleyball, women’s basketball and softball are over five times higher. I appreciate the concern over our attendance, but we will be just fine. We are a far different University than we were in the 1980’s.We won’t be App, Southern or stAte, but we will be middle of the pack at worst.

(12-06-2018 01:09 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  Nah, the Cotton Bowl would be a good venue, save the size.

I’ve said many times football will return at some point. It’s just a matter of how. My preference is a slow, deliberate pace. Now that journalist are finally getting wind of it, I can tell you the U has been working at it for over a decade now, in some capacity or another.

And as for OsageJ’s concern about our attendance, our basketball team is averaging triple compared to the SLC days we shared. Our baseball team is between 4-5 times higher. Volleyball, women’s basketball and softball are over five times higher. I appreciate the concern over our attendance, but we will be just fine. We are a far different University than we were in the 1980’s.We won’t be App, Southern or stAte, but we will be middle of the pack at worst.

the U is definitely not marking time totally as they have been steadily building up to full staffing and adding the little things good programs all have but that have not been in the budget at uta

My biggest concern about adding football is the people in charge. Our athletic department doesn't have a good track record with the programs we have. I've heard many stories from players about housing and meal plan payments being late and sending the basketball team on double digit hour bus rides for games. I just don't see how they could possibly manage an additional 80+ student athletes without some sudden cash infusion. I think it will happen at some point, but just don't know when. Assuming we will still be in the SBC I would think we would be competitive within 5 years based on the talent pool in the DFW alone.

(12-07-2018 11:38 AM)grumpdoggMav Wrote:  My biggest concern about adding football is the people in charge. Our athletic department doesn't have a good track record with the programs we have. I've heard many stories from players about housing and meal plan payments being late and sending the basketball team on double digit hour bus rides for games. I just don't see how they could possibly manage an additional 80+ student athletes without some sudden cash infusion. I think it will happen at some point, but just don't know when. Assuming we will still be in the SBC I would think we would be competitive within 5 years based on the talent pool in the DFW alone.

I'm optimistic about our future possibilities. Ultimately, UT Arlington will compete on the big stage, but the progress has been very deliberate, which is to say slow. My great curiosity is whether UTA football or Elon Musk's Mars colony will happen first. At this point, the odds are probably about even.

I recall the late former UTA Track Coach Bobby Lane asking the rhetorical question if any of us would still be alive when UTA football happens again.

(12-07-2018 11:38 AM)grumpdoggMav Wrote:  My biggest concern about adding football is the people in charge. Our athletic department doesn't have a good track record with the programs we have. I've heard many stories from players about housing and meal plan payments being late and sending the basketball team on double digit hour bus rides for games. I just don't see how they could possibly manage an additional 80+ student athletes without some sudden cash infusion. I think it will happen at some point, but just don't know when. Assuming we will still be in the SBC I would think we would be competitive within 5 years based on the talent pool in the DFW alone.

Well have i got a solution for you. If you need a guy who knows how to get facilities improved and move a football team up to FBS. Your man is already in the great state of Texas. One of the finest leaders of men this world has ever seen. Dr. Larry Teis. I will personally drive him to Arlington and get him set up to help you guys build your dynasty.